Checkmate
by sue-sylvester-shuffle
Summary: Takumi is the undefeated head of the chess club at his school. When a boy from his math class comes to the club for the first time, Takumi is excited to have a new member... at least until the boy, Leo, humiliates him in front of everyone. (EVENTUAL LEOKUMI. MODERN AU. COMPLETE.)
1. Introducing Headband Boy

"And… _checkmate_."

Takumi couldn't suppress the smug smile that was inching its way onto his face. The girl he was playing with had never seen his bishop coming to corner her king. She sighed loudly, but the sound was drowned out by the swell of cheering from the crowd around them.

Okay, maybe it wasn't a _crowd._ The chess club wasn't very big, after all.

"Good game," remarked the girl, extending a hand over the chessboard. "You're really good at this."

Takumi laughed as he shook her hand. "What else do you expect from the head of the club?" he asked. "Thank you, though." With that, he turned his gaze to the rest of the group. "Anyone else want to take me on?"

"It's almost class, actually," said Takumi's friend Oboro. Chess bored her to tears, but she came sometimes to spend time with him. "We've got math next. Hinata said he would meet us there."

"All right," Takumi responded. He stood up to address the others again. "Today's meeting is over, everyone. Thanks for coming. Don't forget; the chess tournament is in a few weeks. Make sure you're all practicing."

The group dispersed, chattering amongst themselves as they went, and leaving only Takumi and Oboro. The silver-haired boy went right to gathering up the chess pieces and putting them away. Oboro trailed aimlessly after him as he went. "You excited for the tournament, Takumi?" she asked. "Think you're going to win again this year?"

"Probably."

She laughed. "Oh, you don't have to be so humble."

Takumi put away the last chessboard and turned to her. "What's the sense in pretending, Oboro? I'm good at chess. That's why I'm the head of the club."

"Really? I thought it was because the old head got too busy with schoolwork to manage the club, and knew that you were the one with the least of a life," teased Oboro.

Takumi scowled. "No," he hissed.

"Heyyy, don't give me that look. I'm only joking." She grinned widely at him. "Anyway, I gotta go touch up my makeup now. I'll meet you in math, okay? Hinata should be there by now."

"All right," replied Takumi.

She flounced out of the classroom with a wave. Takumi went to go pick up his bookbag, but his mind was somewhere else completely. Although he liked to think that he'd been chosen as the new head of the chess club because he'd never lost a game (not counting, of course, the time when he'd had the flu and had fallen asleep on top of the chessboard. A very scared ninth grader had won that game, and Takumi's friends hadn't let him forget it ever since.), what Oboro had said was technically true. He was the only member of the chess club who had come to _every_ meeting since the beginning of the year. That meant that he was reliable, yes, but what else did it imply about him?

Takumi tried not to dwell on it. He _did_ have a life. He saw his friends on a regular basis, and sometimes he was home when his older sister, Hinoka, threw her parties, even if all he did was sit in the corner with a book. He did everything that a normal sixteen-year-old boy would do; he'd even tried vodka once. (It sounded much cooler if he left out the part where he had immediately started coughing and spluttering all over his friends. That was another thing they would never let him live down.)

Takumi was shaken from his thoughts at the sound of the bell. "Math," he muttered. "Shit. Did I do my homework?"

 _Of course you did your homework, you dumb pineapple. You have no life._

He gave a long sigh, picked up his bookbag, and headed out of the classroom.

* * *

For someone who loved something as nerdy as chess, Takumi was surprised that he didn't enjoy math more. It wasn't like he did badly in it, because he didn't. It was just boring as hell.

 _Now I know how Oboro feels coming to chess club,_ he thought, glancing over at his friend. She was doodling something all over her notes.

At the end of class, she and Hinata came over to Takumi as he was packing up his books. "Dude, did you see Spray Tan Guy?" snickered Hinata. "I almost couldn't _see_ him against that orange poster at the back."

Takumi couldn't help but laugh. He had a nasty habit of nicknaming people instead of learning their actual names, something that Oboro and Hinata had subconsciously started doing from spending time with him. These nicknames could come from anywhere; their appearance, their demeanour, or even what they said or did. There was a boy in Hinoka's grade who the three of them had nicknamed 'Mayo Guy' because they saw him squirt mayonnaise out of his sandwich once. _Once._

"We'll meet you outside, all right, Takumi?" said Oboro.

"Okay," replied Takumi, throwing his notes hastily into his binder.

His friends left the classroom together, Hinata still talking about Spray Tan Guy as they went. Takumi continued gathering up his books. As he was doing so, a soft voice from behind him said, "Excuse me."

Takumi turned around. Standing there was a boy from his class. He was tall and slender, with neatly combed blonde hair. _Headband Boy,_ thought Takumi with a faint trace of surprise. Headband Boy, aptly named for the thin black headband that he always wore, sat a few seats in front of Takumi. Other than that, Takumi only knew one thing about him; this boy was their class's resident genius. But unlike the other obnoxious smart kids who were constantly at the teacher's beck and call, Headband Boy was very quiet about his intelligence. He aced tests and scored nineties, but Takumi could count the number of times he'd heard the boy speak on his fingers.

"Can I help you?" Takumi asked.

"I hope so," Headband Boy responded curtly. "Your name is Takumi, correct?"

Takumi nodded, sticking his math textbook into his bookbag. "That's right."

"And you're the head of the chess club?"

Takumi paused. He hadn't been expecting that. "Er, yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering when and where your club meets," explained Headband Boy. "I'm interested in joining."

"Oh?" Takumi said. "Well, we're always happy to have new members. The chess club meets on Thursdays at lunch, in room one-fifty-five."

"Thursdays at lunch? So… today's meeting has already passed, then?" Headband Boy asked.

"Yes. Sorry about that," replied Takumi. "I'll look forward to seeing you there next week, though."

"Yes, same for you," said Headband Boy. "And, ah… thank you, Takumi."

With that, he gave a terse nod and left the room. Takumi watched him go- Headband Boy had never said a word to him before, let alone an entire conversation- before gathering the rest of his supplies and leaving the class as well.

Oboro and Hinata were waiting near the door. "Hey, what took you so long?" asked Hinata. "Were you talking to Headband Boy? I could've sworn you two were staging your exits there."

"Very funny, Hinata," Takumi grumbled. "But yes, I _was_ talking to Headband Boy. He wants to join the chess club."

"Oh, really?" Hinata looked down the hallway, where Headband Boy was a tall purple speck retreating into the throng of students. "He looks the type, I guess. A bit nerdy. No offense, though, Takumi," he added quickly as the silver-haired boy raised an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh."

"So what's his real name?" Oboro piped up.

"What?"

"Headband Boy," she clarified. "That's what we always call him, but what's his _real_ name?"

"I… oh," Takumi trailed off upon realizing that he hadn't bothered to ask. "I don't know. I forgot to ask him."

Hinata laughed. "Shit, that's gonna be awkward next week at chess club." He stuck out his hand, miming Takumi's voice. "Good to see you, _Headband Boy._ Welcome to chess club, _Headband Boy._ "

Takumi shrugged. "It's okay; I bet one of my sisters knows him."

"Takumi, we're _in his class_ and we don't know his name," Oboro pointed out. "You really think Hinoka or Sakura would know him?"

Takumi gave a long sigh. "Okay, maybe not. I'll figure it out, though."

Hinata opened his mouth to say something else, but just then, the bell rang. "Shit, we're going to be late," he said. "See you after school, okay, guys?"

Takumi and Oboro both waved goodbye to him, and the three of them went their separate ways. As Takumi walked toward his next class, he found himself stuck on Headband Boy. Gods, what was that kid's _name?_ They were in the same class, after all; why didn't he know his name?

 _Come to think of it,_ he thought, _you don't know many people's names, do you? You call them by ridiculous nicknames, but you don't know who they really are. How shallow_ are _you?_

It was an unsettling realization, but not one that stuck with Takumi. In fact, he forgot all about Headband Boy until exactly one week later; the next chess club meeting.


	2. Value

A/N: Here's the second chapter. I have the next few written, but I probably won't update until after my last exam (Thursday). Hope you're enjoying this fic so far!

* * *

"Welcome to this week's chess club meeting," announced Takumi. "You might all notice that our group is a little bigger than usual today."

He was talking about Headband Boy, of course, but he wasn't the only new face there. Hinata had actually come for once, wanting to see Takumi try to glean Headband Boy's name out of him. However, Takumi wasn't worried; he had come up with a plan.

He gestured to Headband Boy, who was watching Takumi speak with a vaguely interested expression. Takumi put on a plastered smile. "We have a new member, actually! Why don't you introduce yourself?"

"All right," said Headband Boy. All eyes turned to him, but he didn't look shy, which surprised Takumi. In fact, he seemed to almost command the attention. "Well, my name is-"

 _Here we go,_ thought Takumi, exchanging a glance with Hinata and Oboro. _The moment of truth._

"-Leo."

 _Leo._ Takumi let out a silent sigh of relief. Now he didn't have to worry about calling him 'you there, with the headband'. Leo was a nice name, too. It fit him.

There was a chorus of muttered greetings. Headband Boy- no, _Leo_ nodded in response, and looked back to Takumi.

"So who would like to be Leo's first opponent?" asked Takumi.

"Actually," Leo replied, "If it's all right, I was hoping you would do me the honours."

Immediately, all eyes turned to Takumi, who looked around at the other expectant members, then back to Leo. "Sure," he said. "I have to warn you, though; I'm pretty good."

Leo smirked. "Oh, don't worry. I am too."

 _I hope you realize what you're up against, Leo,_ thought Takumi as he pulled out the chessboards. There were always enough so that everyone could play, but it seemed like they all wanted to watch Takumi and Leo's game. They were right to be interested, he mused. It wasn't every day that the newest member challenged the undefeated club leader.

The two boys sat down, and Leo waited patiently as Takumi took out the pieces. "Now, usually we play rock, paper, scissors to decide who gets to use the white pieces, because as you must know, whoever has the white pieces gets to go first," explained Takumi. "But seeing as this is your first time here, I'll let you take them."

"Thank you, but I prefer the black pieces," said Leo.

"Suit yourself," Takumi responded, pushing the black pieces toward his opponent. They matched Leo's headband, and the collar of the shirt peeking out from underneath his purple sweater. Black suited him.

As they began to play, Takumi had to admit; Leo was good. He moved his pieces with an air of confidence, but Takumi wasn't scared. After all, in all the time that he had led the club, he had never lost.

(No, he did _not_ count the time when he'd had the flu.)

About fifteen minutes into the game, Takumi's reservations were completely gone. He was edging his way toward a surprise attack on Leo's queen, and it was _working._ The blonde boy hadn't seemed to notice Takumi's plan yet. However, just as he was about to make his move, Leo said it, leaning back and crossing his arms.

"Checkmate."

 _What?_

The word sounded foreign in any voice but his. _Checkmate._ No… it couldn't be. He felt his heart start to pound in his throat. Leo _had_ to have made a mistake. Yes, just a mistake. Right? There was no way he had lost. Takumi almost laughed; he'd gotten so worked up, so _worried,_ over nothing. Of _course_ he hadn't lost.

But when he turned his gaze back to the chessboard, he found no way out.

"Oh, _shit,_ " he heard Hinata gasp from behind him.

There was a muffled _smack_ and a small, "Ow," from Hinata. Oboro hissed, "Not so _loud,_ you dimwit!"

Takumi's mouth felt dry. Could Leo… have really beaten him? Leo, who had never even _been_ to the chess club before… had beaten _him,_ the head?

He could feel countless eyes boring into him, scorching him, burning him alive.

The silver-haired boy took a deep breath. "Good game," he forced out, and before Leo could say anything else, he got up and backed toward the door. Not daring to make eye contact with anyone in the room, _least of all Leo,_ Takumi turned around and hurried out.

Someone called out to him, but he didn't stop until he was far enough down the hallway that he couldn't see room one-fifty-five. He slumped down against a wall and rested his head on his arms with a sharp sigh. His skin felt hot. _Damn you, Headband Boy,_ he thought ruefully. What would everyone think of him now? He was the head of the club. He was supposed to be _good_.

His siblings were all good at something. Ryoma played on his university's football team; Hinoka had won first place at her horse racing competition; and Sakura had received an award for her work in first-aid training. Takumi wasn't good at sports, and he didn't get spectacular grades. Being the undefeated head of the chess club was all he had.

Until some snobby blonde kid with a headband had to go and ruin it.

Just then, Takumi heard someone call his name. He looked up to find Hinata and Oboro approaching. "You okay, dude?" Hinata asked. "You've never lost like that before. At least… not when you were awake."

Takumi ignored that last comment. "He _humiliated_ me in front of my entire club," he hissed.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world though, right?" Oboro said, trying to be optimistic. "I mean, it's not like _they've_ never lost before. You've beaten every last one of them. Chess is a game of luck. You were bound to lose sometime."

"Chess is _not_ a game of luck!" Takumi snapped. "It's a game of _skill._ And now the whole club thinks I have none."

"I thought you would've been happy to have another chess genius in the club," Hinata remarked. "Don't you like to be challenged, Takumi?"

Irritation crawled over Takumi's skin. "You don't get it."

Oboro shrugged. "You're right, we don't. But I still think you should go back. Leo looked really confused when you left all of a sudden like that."

"I don't care what he thinks," Takumi said.

Hinata scowled. "You're being a really sore loser, dude."

Hot pressure was beginning to build in Takumi's head. "Can you just leave me alone for a while?" he asked sharply, reaching into his bookbag and taking out the history book he was reading.

He heard Hinata sigh and say, "Fine," before walking away. Oboro hesitated for a few moments before following him.

Takumi tried to get into his book, but he ended up reading the same paragraph over and over. He just couldn't get his mind off of what had happened. "Damn it," he muttered, slamming the book shut. Hinata was right; he _was_ being a sore loser. But he couldn't help it. Being good at chess was Takumi's one claim to fame among all of his siblings' accomplishments.

Without it, did he even have any value?


	3. Smug Idiot

A/N: Things will be getting gay soon, I promise. :-)

* * *

By the end of lunch, Takumi had gotten sick of sitting around and decided to wait in front of his math classroom. His teacher usually came to class early in case any students needed help with their homework, so Takumi knew once she arrived, he could at least sit inside and wait for his friends.

As he leaned against the wall with his math textbook in hand, he heard footsteps approaching. Upon looking up, however, he found that it wasn't his teacher. Instead, it was the very last person he wanted to see; Leo.

Takumi groaned and stared intently into his textbook, trying to look busy. However, Leo came over anyway.

"Takumi," the blonde boy greeted him.

"Mmhm?"

His annoyance must have been apparent, because Leo raised an eyebrow. "I was just wondering where you went at lunch today. You left very suddenly. Is everything alright?"

 _None of your damn business,_ snapped a voice in the back of Takumi's head. He swallowed the words back, though they stung like blades. "I'm sorry, I had to study," he lied.

"Oh," replied Leo, although he didn't look completely convinced. "That makes sense. I must say, though; you're quite good at chess. None of my siblings could even _dream_ of beating me when we play… I was impressed by you."

 _Were you really?_ Takumi barely suppressed the scowl that was threatening to crawl over his face. "Thank you," he spat out. "You're not so bad yourself."

Leo smirked. "Yes, well… I suppose you saw that for yourself today, didn't you?"

Anger slammed into Takumi like a punch to the stomach, winding him and making bright red thunderstorms erupt in his head. He'd never wanted to _hit_ someone so badly before. But just as he was opening his mouth to respond, Leo said, "Well, I'll see you in class, then." He gave Takumi an empty wave, and walked away.

Takumi waited, seething, until Leo was far enough away before turning and kicking a locker in frustration. A boy sitting nearby, who Takumi vaguely recognized as Sakura's friend Subaki, gasped and dropped his phone, but Takumi didn't have it in him to care. Leo was the most arrogant, pompous, self-absorbed _asshole_ he'd ever met.

He couldn't concentrate all through math class. Not when he knew that Leo was _there,_ sitting three seats in front of him. At one point, he thought he could even see Leo looking back at him out of the corner of his eye. Takumi shot a glare in his direction; Leo turned back to his notes shortly afterward.

 _Good._

Not even history, Takumi's favourite class, could cheer him up. He couldn't get Leo out of his mind. The deftness with which he'd cornered Takumi's king. The infuriating smirk that had played around Leo's lips. Gods, he hated him.

And what Takumi did when he hated someone was _complain._

"Do you know a guy named Leo?" he asked his sisters on the car ride home. Takumi hated having Hinoka drive him everywhere, but he'd failed his last driver's test and was stuck in the passenger's seat until his next opportunity to take it. (Or the back seat, if Sakura got to the front first.)

"What grade is he in?" Hinoka questioned from the driver's seat.

"Eleven. He's in my math class."

"I don't think I know him," replied Sakura. "What does he look like?"

"Tall, blonde, and nerdy-looking. He always wears a headband."

Hinoka pursed her lips. "Hmm… that sounds kind of familiar, actually. Is he that rich kid who's always hanging out with that creep Niles?"

"I… don't know."

"Oh. Well, I don't think I know him then."

"Well, he's an asshole," Takumi told them. "That's all you need to know about him."

Hinoka snorted. From the back seat, Sakura said, "Takumi, that's not a nice thing to say."

"It's _true_ though _._ "

"What did he do, then?" asked Hinoka, still grinning.

"He beat me in front of the entire chess club," recounted Takumi bitterly.

Hinoka stomped on the brakes, sending the car to a lurching halt. "He beat you up?" she asked sharply. Takumi could almost see the _protective older sister_ fire burning in her eyes.

"No… not like that," he responded quickly. "He beat me _in chess._ "

"Oh." Hinoka started driving again. "Gods, Takumi. Don't scare me like that."

"Well, it was humiliating, okay?" Takumi grumbled. "He's just so _smug_ about it. He acts like he's some sort of chess god, saying that no one could even _dream_ of beating him. He's so obnoxious."

His sisters were quiet for a moment. "What?" Takumi said.

"It's just… Takumi, that kinda sounds like you," admitted Hinoka. Sakura nodded in shy agreement.

" _What?!_ " gasped Takumi incredulously. "We're _nothing_ alike."

"Okay," Hinoka laughed. "Whatever you say."

Takumi groaned and sank down in his seat. They were wrong. Leo was a smug idiot, and Takumi was nothing like him.

...Right?


	4. The Party

Hinata and Oboro looked almost apprehensive when Takumi approached them the next morning outside school. The silver-haired boy presented them with a smile, but the ones they gave him in return looked strained.

Takumi wasn't surprised. He'd been childish the day before. Sure, he'd had every right to be upset and embarrassed about what had happened at chess club… but his friends had only wanted to help. Hinata had been putting it nicely when he called him a sore loser.

He wanted to apologize to them, but his pride was like a muzzle. All he could do was smile and hope that his eyes got across what he was trying to say.

"Look, dude, before you say anything-" began Hinata.

"I saw Spray Tan Guy around the back of the school," Takumi blurted out.

 _Gods, where did that come from?_

His friends looked surprised. "You did?" asked Hinata tentatively, looking like Takumi had just sprouted a second head. "What was he doing?"

"Making out with some girl," Takumi told them. "And I gotta say, she was the palest girl I've ever seen. Not orange in the _least._ "

They both laughed. "I can't believe that guy," Oboro giggled. Takumi smiled, feeling the walls of caution they'd put up melting down.

"Guys, I just…" he began, trailing off as his throat closed up again. Luckily, they both gave him nods of understanding.

"I know," replied Oboro. "It's okay, Takumi."

 _They know me too well,_ thought Takumi, as affection swelled up inside of him. Hinata clapped him on the back as they walked inside, and Oboro slung an arm around his shoulders. Takumi laughed. He really did love his friends.

The silver-haired boy was feeling good. He didn't even let seeing Leo in math class bother him. The notion that it was Friday, and he didn't have to see Leo on the weekend, helped too. Thankfully, Leo didn't try to talk to him again.

After school that day, Takumi, Hinata, and Oboro all went over to Hinata's house to play video games. Since it was Friday night, he was able to stay for dinner, and it was about eight-thirty by the time he arrived home. As he walked up his street, he began to hear loud, pulsing music coming from somewhere. "Someone's having a party," he mumbled to no one in particular. "Gods, I hope it's not Hinoka. I'm exhausted."

However, the closer he got, he realized that the music was indeed coming from his house. Peering up the driveway, he could even see flashing lights swelling against the curtains. "Great. Just _great,_ " he grumbled, trudging up the front steps and testing the door. It was open; of course it was. He stepped inside and was instantly thrust into sensory overload. There were teenagers all around, slouched in chairs, against walls, and even on top of each other. Unnecessarily loud pop music blared throughout the house, which reeked of alcohol. Takumi edged past two girls making out (one of them was the girl that Spray Tan Guy had been kissing earlier that day; Takumi stopped to appreciate the situation before continuing on.)

"Have you seen Hinoka?" he asked a boy sitting on the stairs.

The boy shook his head. Takumi sighed loudly and pushed his way past more dancing teenagers. Finally, he found Hinoka. His redheaded sister was sitting at the kitchen table, chatting with her friends. "There you are," he hissed, raising his voice to be heard over the pounding music.

She grinned. "Takumi!"

"You couldn't have warned me about this?" demanded Takumi.

"I thought you'd be home from Hinata's earlier than this," explained Hinoka, the smile slipping off of her face. "Sorry."

Takumi wasn't entirely sure why Hinoka threw such crowded parties. She was a very caring person, but, like him, she got lonely easily. _Maybe that was a part of it._ The silver-haired boy sighed again and rolled his eyes. "I'm going upstairs now."

As he approached his bedroom, he stopped for a moment to lean against the door and catch his breath. Gods, was he tired. Being in the heart of so many people and so much noise sapped his energy faster than he could even fathom.

He opened the door, closing his eyes as he reached back to untie his hair. However, a soft voice jolted him out of his peaceful state. "Takumi?"

 _Oh, gods. That voice._

Takumi's eyes flew open, his jaw dropping. Leo was sitting at his desk, a rather unfazed expression on his face. "You!" sputtered Takumi. "What are you doing in my room!?"

"I wanted some peace and quiet, so your sister said I could sit in here," Leo explained. "This is _your_ room? You have a very nice taste in books."

Leo was holding one of Takumi's history books. "Put it back," Takumi hissed. "I don't want you touching my things."

"Very well." Leo stood up to put the book back on the shelf. "I'm impressed that you like history, though. You don't exactly strike me as the scholarly type."

"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Takumi.

The blonde boy shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

It annoyed Takumi that he and Leo liked the same books. They were _nothing_ alike, no matter what Hinoka and Sakura said. He sat down on the edge of his bed, expecting Leo to leave, but the blonde just sat back down at Takumi's desk.

"Why are you here, anyway?" Takumi asked. "I didn't think you knew Hinoka."

Leo sighed. "I don't. I was dragged here by my _friend_ -" Leo made quotation marks with his fingers as he said the word 'friend'. "-Niles. He knows one of Hinoka's friends, and they invited him. I didn't want to come, but Niles forced me. He told me I needed to be more social, but to be honest, I don't like all of the noise that comes with parties. That's why I'm hiding out up here."

As soon as Leo mentioned his friend Niles, Hinoka's words came rushing back to Takumi. _Is he that rich kid who's always hanging out with that creep Niles?_ she had asked him. It seemed as if she had been correct about that. Takumi couldn't help but laugh. However, he could relate to Leo's complaints about the noise that came along with parties. For some strange reason, he felt his hostility draining away.

"I know how you feel," he said. "Hinoka throws parties here all the time, and I hate it. All I want to do is read my history books in peace, so this is where I hide out, too." His gaze fell to the bookshelf, where Leo had put the book away. "You, ah… you said you like history, too?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, I do. It's my favourite class, actually. I find it very interesting, especially the various historical battles. I love learning about the strategy behind them, because it sort of reminds me of-"

"Chess," Takumi finished for him.

The blonde looked surprised. "That's right, actually."

"I do the same thing," admitted Takumi.

"Huh." Leo was staring intently at his face; Takumi looked away, his cheeks burning. "You know, Takumi… I think we may be more similar than I thought," Leo went on. "I didn't want to believe it, but… I guess my sisters were right."

Takumi raised his eyebrows. " _Your_ sisters were right? Leo, both of _my_ sisters said the exact same thing."  
Leo looked surprised. "Did they really? Hm…" All of a sudden, he smiled. It wasn't the same haughty smirk that grated on Takumi's nerves, but a sincere, gentle smile that made Takumi feel warm. "I suppose our sisters know us better than we know ourselves."

"I suppose you're right," said Takumi. It was pretty hard to hate Leo when he was staring at him like that.

Finally, Leo looked away, glancing around the room. "So, ah… do you have a chess board here?"

Takumi grinned. "You bet I do."


	5. Hoshidans vs Nohrians

Takumi woke up the next morning to bright sunlight streaming in through his window. He was still in the clothes he'd been wearing the day before. As he sat up, rubbing his eyes groggily, a black chess knight rolled out from underneath him and fell to the floor. Takumi reached down to pick it up, and found his chessboard packed up neatly beside his bed, along with a handwritten note. In tall, slanting print, it read,

 _Takumi,_

 _You were starting to doze off in the middle of our game, so I took the liberty of moving the chessboard for you. I suppose you were very tired. Anyway, I had a good time last night. Thank you for letting me hide up here with you; I really appreciated it. Hopefully we can do this again soon._

 _Leo_

Takumi stared down at the note as memories from the night before began to flood into his mind. Leo had been hiding in Takumi's room from the bustling party downstairs. They had played chess and talked about history. He had spent time with _Leo_ , and actually _enjoyed_ himself _._

His mind was racing, thoughts stacking like a twenty car pile up. It was almost dizzying how his opinion on Leo could change with only one night, one experience. Still dazed, he went over to his desk and picked up his laptop to open a video call with Oboro and Hinata. If anyone could help him make heads or tails of the situation, it was them.

The navy-haired girl picked up first, looking sleepy. "Gods, Takumi, what time is it?" she moaned. "I need my beauty sleep, you know!"

Hinata's face appeared seconds later. "This better be important," he grumbled, eyes barely open.

"It is," said Takumi, sitting down on his bed with his laptop balanced on his knees. "You won't believe what happened to me last night."

Immediately, both of their faces lit up. "Aw, Takumi _,_ did you score last night?" Hinata asked excitedly. "Who was it? What's their name? Do I know them?"

"Hinata, stop. I didn't _score,_ " Takumi told them. "But I _did_ hang out with Leo."

"Leo, like Headband Boy Leo?" said Oboro, eyes widening. "The one from chess club? Er… Takumi… were you drunk or something?"

"No, I wasn't _._ He's, well… he's not so terrible after all."

Hinata scoffed. "Dude, are you feeling okay? That does _not_ sound like you. At _all._ "

"I'm serious. Hinoka was having a party over here, and-"

"Whaaat? I missed the party?!"

"-and Leo was sitting up in my room-"

"So you _did_ score?"

"-and I think we may have sort of become friends," finished Takumi. "Gods, you guys. Let me tell a story for once."

"That's crazy," said Oboro. "So what, you don't hate him anymore?"

"I guess not," Takumi responded. "We're actually sort of similar, if you think about it. I mean, I'm not as obnoxious as him. But… other than that. Even my sisters think so."

"Well, that's awesome!" exclaimed Hinata. "Is he going to start hanging out with us at lunch? Tell him he has to buy his own fries."

Takumi shrugged, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I don't know. He probably eats lunch with his other friends, but I'll pass along the message."

Just then, he heard Hinoka call upstairs. "Takumi, come down for breakfast! Ryoma's football game is in an hour."

"Okay." After saying hurried goodbyes to his friends, Takumi closed his laptop and untied his hair to brush it. When he went downstairs, he found Hinoka bringing out a plate of toast from the kitchen. Takumi joined Sakura at the table. It was just the three of them, like it usually was. Ryoma was at home often enough that no one ever questioned a twelfth-grader being the oldest in the house, but that wasn't very often at all. After their parents died, Ryoma had basically raised all three of his younger siblings, so Takumi understood why he needed to get away from it all when the opportunity presented itself. It didn't stop him from missing his older brother, though.

"I'm so excited to see big brother Ryoma," Sakura said, beaming at her older siblings.

"Me too," Takumi replied. "It's been a while."

As he looked into his younger sister's wide eyes, Takumi found himself wondering what life would be like when Hinoka went off to university. He was almost certain that she would stay with them, but that's what they had thought about Ryoma, too. Would it end up being just him and Sakura?

 _No,_ thought Takumi as Hinoka grinned over at him. _Hinoka would never leave us like that._

Thinking about it all only made Takumi miss Ryoma more. So even though the bleachers in the football field were as cold as ice, he couldn't help but feel a constant buzz of excitement as he sat with his sisters, waiting for the game to start.

"It should only be a few more minutes now," Sakura told them. Takumi, who was nestling further into his coat, turned away to let his eyes wander. He didn't like sports, but he _did_ like people-watching, and Ryoma's football games were a prime time to do exactly that. There were people of all descriptions filling up the bleachers; Takumi let himself get lost in assigning nicknames to all of them.

"Excuse me, could we sit here?"

Takumi was roused from his thoughts by the soft voice. He looked up to find a tall, voluptuous girl with lavender-coloured hair standing in front of him. She looked to be about Hinoka's age, or maybe a bit older. Standing beside her was a younger girl with long blonde hair. _That colour is a bit like Leo's,_ thought Takumi absentmindedly.

"Of course," responded Hinoka. "Help yourselves."

"Thank you!" exclaimed the younger girl. "Our brother's coming too, so we need room for three people. Is that still okay?"

Hinoka nodded. "It's just the three of us as well. Takumi, scooch over, would you?"

Takumi glared at her as he edged closer to Sakura. However, both girls looked surprised. "Takumi?" repeated the older one.

"Yes, that's my name," Takumi said. "Is there a problem?"

"No, nothing like that," the younger girl reassured him. "It's just… my brother's been going on and on about someone named Takumi. You wouldn't happen to go to Valla High School, would you?"

Takumi exchanged a glance with his sisters. "I do, actually," he told the girls.

The younger girl's mouth formed a perfect O shape. "Well, then… I think you might be the one my brother's been talking about!" she exclaimed.

 _Her brother… has been talking about_ me?

Before Takumi could even fully process what she had just said, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching on the metal bleachers. An all too familiar voice said, from behind the girls, "Sorry, Elise, I couldn't find your hat." The tall, lavender-haired girl stepped aside to reveal none other than Leo. His eyes instantly found Takumi, eyebrows shooting up into his blonde hair.

"Takumi," he gasped.

"Leo," replied Takumi, incredulous.

" _Leo?_ " echoed Hinoka and Sakura in stunned unison.

"So this _is_ the right Takumi after all!" The youngest of Leo's sisters clapped her hands together, giggling girlishly. "Yay! I knew it!"

Leo glared down at her. " _Elise,_ " he hissed in a warning tone.

"Whaaaat? It's _true,_ " Elise, the blonde girl, pouted.

Takumi turned to his sisters. "Hinoka, Sakura, this is Leo. You know, the one who-"

"Yeah, I remember you saying _something_ about him," Hinoka snickered. No doubt she was thinking of when Takumi had first brought Leo up to them, after he had been defeated at the chess club. Takumi only wished he had used less… _colourful_ language when describing the other boy.

"It's nice to meet you," added Sakura warmly.

"You too," said Leo, sitting down beside Takumi. "Well, these are my sisters, Camilla and Elise."

Elise beamed. "Nice to meet you!"

"So what are you all doing here?" Takumi asked.

"Our big brother Xander is playing football today!" Elise told him.

"Really? So is _our_ big brother, Ryoma!" said Sakura.

"Ryoma, hm? I've never heard Xander mention him before," Camilla mused. "Which team is he on?"

"The Hoshidans," Hinoka responded.

"Oh, that explains it," Camilla nodded. "Xander plays for the Nohrians. That's why he hasn't talked about Ryoma at all."

"I guess they're gonna be playing against each other now, huh?" said Elise. "Wow! This is exciting!"

Right on cue, the football players started to pour into the field. The audience clapped and cheered. Takumi immediately found Ryoma; his eldest brother was recognizable by his long, spiky hair, even with his helmet on. He then scanned the Nohrians' team, trying to figure out which one was Xander. It didn't take him very long to pinpoint a tall, confident-looking man with wavy blonde hair like Leo and Elise's. _That_ must _be him,_ thought Takumi. He glanced over at Leo. _Yep, definitely._ Leo smiled at him, and once again Takumi was taken off guard by how genuine he looked. Was he even the same prick who had beaten Takumi in chess club? Maybe that had been Leo's evil twin or something. Did Leo have a twin? He'd have to ask one of his siblings.

"The game is starting!" Sakura whispered excitedly.

Takumi felt Leo's shoulder brush up against his as the game began. "I don't know much about football, do you?" he asked quietly, leaning in.

Takumi shook his head. "Not at all. I just like seeing Ryoma."

"I know how you feel," replied Leo. "Xander lives in residency at Nohr University, so I don't get to see him very often. Is Ryoma in residency at Hoshido University, too?"

"No… technically he lives at home with my sisters and I," Takumi told him.

"Technically?" repeated Leo, puzzled.

"Well, _legally_ he lives with us. But he isn't around a lot."

"Ah," said Leo, but he didn't pry any further. Takumi was relieved; there was no way he was telling his new friend all about how their parents had been killed in a robbery when Takumi was twelve, and how university was giving Ryoma his first chance to be what he really was; a student, not a parental figure.

However, thoughts of Ryoma and his parents didn't stay long in Takumi's mind. As the game raged below them, Leo leaned toward Takumi again. "You look cold," the blonde boy observed.

"I'm fine," Takumi said, although he was freezing.

Leo shifted over slightly so that his side was just touching Takumi's. Immediately, heat rose in Takumi's cheeks and flooded throughout his entire body. "Is that any better?" Leo asked. There was a funny look on his face that Takumi couldn't quite pin down.

He nodded, smiling. "Th-Thank you."

The football field didn't seem so cold with Leo there.


	6. Family

A/N: Sorry for the shortish chapter. :-( But the next one is much longer. And gayer!

* * *

At the end of the game, which Ryoma and the Hoshidans won by a small margin, the two older brothers came over to their families. "Big brother Xander!" exclaimed Elise, throwing herself into his arms. Sakura went over and wrapped her arms around Ryoma in her own shy fashion.

Ryoma and Xander greeted their respective siblings with adoration, but when they saw each other, they donned twin looks of surprise. "Aren't you the Nohrians' quarterback?" Ryoma asked. "What are you doing here?"

"These are my younger siblings," Xander said, gesturing to Camilla, Leo, and Elise. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"These are _my_ younger siblings," Ryoma repeated with a nod toward Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura.

Xander turned to his sisters and Leo. "What are you three doing with _these_ people?" he asked.

Hinoka bristled. " _These_ people?" she repeated sharply. "And what kind of people _are_ we?"

Ryoma grabbed her shoulder. "Stay out of this, Hinoka," he advised her.

"But, Ryoma-"

Before things could escalate any further, Camilla stepped between the two football players. "Calm down, both of you," she said. "Xander, there's no need to be so rude to them. This is Leo's friend, Takumi. They're in the same math class at school. Ryoma is his older brother."

 _So Leo really_ has _been telling them about me,_ thought Takumi, feeling flattered.

"Hmm." Xander looked from him, to Ryoma, and back to Camilla. "Well, it's nice to meet you, then." To Ryoma, he added, "You played a good game. I'm sorry I was so impolite to you and your family."

Ryoma glanced at Takumi as if to ask, _You're really friends with one of them?_ Still, he outstretched his hand for Xander to shake. "Thank you."

Xander shook his hand, and then turned back to his siblings. "We should be going," he told them.

Elise waved animatedly. "Bye bye! I hope we can see all of you again soon!"

Sakura waved back. "Y-Yes! Me too!"

Leo smiled at Takumi as his family walked away. Takumi found himself smiling as well. "I'll see you on Monday," he called over. Leo nodded and waved.

As soon as Leo and his siblings were out of earshot, Hinoka turned to Takumi, grinning widely and mischievously. "Takumi, you _like_ him, don't you?" she said.

" _What?_ " spluttered Takumi, heat instantly flaring in his cheeks. "Why would you say something like that?"

"Gods, look at you. You're as red as a tomato," Hinoka giggled.

"Shut _up!_ "

"Oh, Takumi, _please,_ " Hinoka went on. "You two were all but cuddling on the bleachers there. I didn't know you were into white guys. Or _guys_ in general."

"Hinoka!" shouted Takumi. "I said _stop it!_ "

"It's all right, Takumi," said Ryoma, putting a hand on his younger brother's back to calm him. "There's no need to get so worked up. Hinoka is only teasing you."

"All right," grumbled Takumi.

"But I do have to say… if you _were_ to have feelings for Leo, or any other boy, you know we would be fine with that," Ryoma added as an afterthought.

"Agh! _Both_ of you, I _don't_ have feelings for Leo!" Takumi groaned, shrugging off Ryoma's hand and storming ahead of his siblings toward the car. He could hear Ryoma chuckling from behind him, but even in his angry, embarrassed state, Takumi could tell that his older brother held nothing but love for him.

Reluctantly, he had to admit that he had missed Ryoma.

* * *

"Come _on,_ Hinoka. We're going to be late!"

Takumi's older sister stuck her head out of the bathroom, her toothbrush dangling from her mouth. "Yeah, I'm coming! Gods, Takumi. We aren't going to be _late._ In fact, we're probably going to be early."

"Whatever," grumbled Takumi. "Sakura, Ryoma, and I have been ready for ten minutes now!"

"I-It's okay, Hinoka, we aren't in a rush," Sakura piped up from behind Takumi.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura. I know Takumi only wants to get to school so that he can see _Leo,_ " Hinoka teased, coming out of the bathroom with a smirk on her face.

Takumi rolled his eyes, but he'd been hearing the same jokes all weekend. They had stopped having the same effect. "Yeah, yeah. Say what you want; I just don't want to be late."

Hinoka reached up and tousled his hair on her way by. "Alright, I'm ready now. Ryoma, you wanna drive?"

"Sure," the dark-haired man responded. "I'll drop you three off at the high school, then it's back to Hoshido University for me."

Takumi's stomach clenched. Ryoma had spent the weekend at home with his younger siblings, but the time had gone by so quickly. Who knew when they would get to see him again? "Ryoma…" he began.

"I'm going to miss you, big brother," said Sakura, glancing shyly at the ground. Ryoma leaned down, pulling her in for a hug.

"I'm going to miss you too, little sister," he replied, kissing her on the cheek. Hinoka stepped in and wrapped her arms around both of them. Takumi glanced away, but then Hinoka grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him in as well. Ryoma put his arm around his brother. Blushing, Takumi closed his eyes to bask in the moment. Despite how much they all bickered and teased each other, Takumi truly loved all three of his siblings.

"Not so eager to get to school now, eh, Takumi?" joked Hinoka. Without raising his head from the group hug, Takumi slapped the back of her head with his hand.

"Hey," she laughed, and hit him back.

A few moments later, Ryoma stepped back, chuckling. "All right. It's time to head out, you three. Get in the car, okay?"

"Can't the hug last just a few more minutes?" asked Sakura timidly.

Their eldest brother smiled. "Of course."


	7. Starry Brown Eyes

Takumi spent most of math class on Tuesday organizing the chess tournament. There were eight members in the club, including him and Leo. That meant that there would be four matches in the first round. The winners of these matches would play in the second round, and the two winners of _those_ matches would compete in the final round. (It wasn't as complicated as it had seemed at first.) Takumi was sure he would be one of the final two, and a part of him hoped that Leo would be the other one. He still wanted a chance to redeem himself to the club members after the last time Leo beat him.

Takumi's mind was filled only with chess until Leo approached him at the end of class. "Takumi," he greeted. "I was just wondering if you wanted to play chess with me."

"Right now?" Takumi asked. "I mean, sure! I'd have to get one of the chessboards from room one-fifty-five, but-"

"No, no. I don't mean now," Leo replied. "There's a nice little park right near my house where I go with my sisters sometimes. I think you'd really like it. Would you like to join me there, say… tomorrow night?"

"Oh! That sounds nice," Takumi said. "I'd love to."

"Really?" Leo's face lit up. "That's great. I'll pick you up, then. Where do you live?"

Instantly, the image of his sisters crowding him at the door as Leo picked him up flashed in Takumi's mind. "Er, I can just meet you there," he suggested. "Where is the park?"

"How about I give you my phone number? I can text you directions later," offered Leo.

Takumi nodded. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Leo, who typed in his number and handed it back to Takumi with a smile. "Well, I have to go to my next class now," Leo responded. "I'll see you later." As soon as he left the room, Hinata and Oboro, who had been hiding out near the door, raced over to Takumi.

"Gods, Takumi! You have a date!" exclaimed Oboro, grinning.

"It's not a _date,_ " Takumi snapped. "We're just friends. And we're just going to play chess. Nothing more."

"Okay, okay," Hinata laughed. "No need to be so defensive. Keep us posted about tomorrow night, though, okay? You gotta text us all throughout the _date_."

Oboro hit him on the arm. "Hey, Hinata, that's totally creepy." But when she turned to Takumi, her expression didn't make him feel any more comfortable. "Text us _afterward._ "

Takumi rolled his eyes. "No, that's still creepy. I'm not texting you about this. At _all._ "

His friends sighed. Takumi waited until they had turned their back before adding, "Okay, _maybe_ afterward."

They both turned back around, grinning. "Really?" Oboro asked.

Takumi grinned as well. "If you guys promise to stop talking like I'm some lovesick fool for Leo."

Hinata laughed. "I can't promise anything."

Takumi sighed. "Well, it was worth a try."

But despite the fact that he and Leo were just two friends going to play chess, Takumi found that his mouth was dry when he arrived at the park on Wednesday evening. As a person with a lot of anxiety, he was all too aware of the physical symptoms he felt when he was nervous. But why in the world _was_ he nervous? He and Leo were friends. There was no reason to be scared.

Takumi took a deep breath, and started down the path. It was lit by warm, white lights, tinged with gold. Leo was right; it was a beautiful park. He took a moment to soak in his surroundings before continuing on.

Leo was sitting under a tree a little ways off. When he saw Takumi, he smiled and stood up. At his feet was a chessboard. "Hi there," he said.

"Hey," responded Takumi, walking over to the other boy. "This, ah… this is a really nice spot."

"Yeah!" exclaimed Leo. "I find it really relaxing here. I'm glad you like it, too. Um… would you like to sit down?"

Takumi nodded, and they both sat down in the grass. "Thank you for inviting me," he said. "You know, I… I'm glad you joined chess club."

"Seriously?" Leo blinked. "Because at first… I thought you hated me."

Takumi bit his lip. _I did,_ he thought. It was strange to think, but he _had_ hated Leo. There was no way he could say that to him, though. "Of course not," he lied. "I was just feeling a little off that day."

"Oh, that's a relief," sighed Leo. "I-I mean, not that you were feeling off. But that you didn't hate me. I have trouble expressing myself in social situations sometimes, you know… I realized later that I may have come off a little strong." He smiled. "I'm glad we're all right, though. What do you say we start the game now?"

He had a slight, _very_ slight accent when he was nervous, Takumi noticed. French, maybe? He nodded, and Leo put out the chess pieces. "I know you like the white pieces," Leo said as he set them out. "They match your hair, actually. All right… it's your turn."

The moonlight was hitting Leo in such a way that Takumi had to take a moment to simply stare at him, trying to soak in every fibre of the blonde boy. The slender fingers with which he held his black chess pieces. His warm, genuine smile, so unlike the smirk that he had first presented Takumi with. And oh, those starry brown eyes.

Just like that, he realized it.

It was sudden, and surprising, but at the same time it felt like putting together puzzle pieces that Takumi had already been aware of. He'd seen each piece, acknowledged them, but they meant absolutely nothing on their own. But together… they made a glorious picture, a beautiful, sunny picture that Takumi couldn't believe it had taken him so long to see.

He had feelings for Leo.

 _Gods, everyone was right._

Takumi usually didn't like being proven wrong, but in this case, he couldn't have cared less. He allowed himself to bask in the moment for a few seconds, before the crushing weight of his own anxiety dropped back down on top of him like a ton of bricks. What if Leo didn't feel the same way? What if Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura didn't accept that he had feelings for another boy? What about Hinata and Oboro? What if-

"Takumi, are you there?" asked Leo, waving a hand in front of the other boy's face.

"Sorry, Leo. I just got lost in my thoughts," Takumi said. _And your eyes,_ he added inwardly, and then cringed at how cliché he sounded.

Leo smiled. "Okay then. It's still your turn, by the way."

It was then that Takumi noticed something different about Leo's appearance. "Hey," he began, moving one of his pawns up. "Where's your headband?"

The blonde boy looked surprised. "Oh, um, it's at my house. My sister told me I should wear my hair out for tonight. You… you _like_ the headband?"

Takumi nodded. "I do, actually," he admitted. "You know, before I knew your name, I used to call you Headband Boy."

A grin spread across Leo's face. "Headband Boy?" he repeated, a giggle rising in his voice.

Takumi couldn't help but laugh too. "Well, yeah. My friends and I tend to nickname people based on random traits, like their appearance, how they act, whatever. And you always wore that headband, so you kind of became Headband Boy," he explained. "You don't have a problem with that? I thought you might be offended by it."

Leo shook his head, beaming. His nose got all scrunched up when he laughed, Takumi noticed. It made his heart skip a beat. "Of _course_ I'm not offended! I think it's hilarious," he said. "Who else has a nickname? Anyone else I know?"

Takumi grinned. "Well, there _is_ a guy in our math class who I call Spray Tan Guy…"

Leo clapped his hands together. "I know _exactly_ who you're talking about. Sits in the back row, doesn't he? Gods, that boy is _orange!_ "

Takumi's mouth fell askew slightly. Leo liked the nicknames he gave people. Leo liked chess, and history books… and Leo liked _him._

He was the perfect boy. Gods, did Takumi's heart hurt.

"Anyway, Ponytail Boy, I'm glad you came out here tonight," Leo said.

Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Ponytail Boy?" he repeated, smirking.

Leo nodded. "I figure if I'm Headband Boy, you should have a nickname too." He gestured to Takumi's lengthy ponytail. "So now you're Ponytail Boy."

"Hey, I don't call you Headband Boy anymore," Takumi protested. "Besides, you aren't even wearing your headband right now."

A soft smile spread across Leo's face. "All right. If you let your hair down, I'll stop calling you Ponytail Boy."

Takumi's eyes widened. "What?"

Leo shrugged. "Hey, I don't make the rules."

"Fine." Blushing furiously, Takumi reached up and untied his hair. It fell around his shoulders in a messy, silvery cascade, tickling the small of his back. "There, _Headband Boy._ Are you happy now?"

Leo's mouth was open slightly as he stared at the other boy. "Leo," Takumi said, waving his hand in front of Leo's eyes. The blonde boy seemed to snap back into his body, because he closed his mouth and his eyes focused.

"Pardon?" he replied.

"Who's lost in their thoughts now?" Takumi teased him.

Leo's face reddened. "I'm sorry." He then glanced down at the chessboard and gave a look like he had forgotten that it was there. "Oh, I guess it's my turn, then."

 _Was he staring at… me?_

Takumi watched as Leo edged one of his pawns forward. _What have I gotten myself into?_ he thought.

Well, whatever it was… Takumi didn't quite mind.


	8. Acceptance

A/N: Only two chapters left!

* * *

When Takumi got back home, he found Hinoka and Sakura waiting on the front steps for him. "Hey!" Hinoka called over brightly. "How was your evening?"

"Good," Takumi responded.

"Was it _romantic?_ " she continued, grinning.

Takumi blushed. He immediately knew that he'd made the right decision in not letting Leo pick him up at his house. "I… um…"

Sakura's face lit up. "Oh, Takumi… she was only teasing you. But…" She paused for a moment, looking up at Hinoka for reassurance before looking back to her brother. "You _do_ like him, don't you?"

Somehow, hearing it from Sakura made Takumi more inclined to admit it. There was no teasing in her voice, playful or otherwise. He nodded tentatively, his heart pounding in his throat.

Both of his sisters beamed. They raced over to him, enveloping him in a tight hug. "Thank you for trusting us," whispered Hinoka. "I love you, Takumi."

Takumi smiled. His heart felt full. "I love you too."

Long after his sisters let go of him, Takumi felt the warmth of their embrace, their acceptance. So when he arrived at school the next morning, he decided to tell his friends about his crush on Leo. They'd been joking about it for days, so Takumi was almost sure that they would be fully supportive. However, there was only one way to find out.

"Hey!" Hinata greeted Takumi as the silver-haired boy approached his friends. "What happened, dude? You never texted us!"

"Guys, I… I have to tell you something," began Takumi, swallowing hard.

Oboro and Hinata looked concerned. "Are you okay?" asked Hinata. "You look… really nervous."

Takumi bit his lip. "I know. That's because I am. I have to tell you something, but you have to promise not to be weird about it. Okay?"

Oboro and Hinata exchanged a worried glance. "Takumi, are you sick?" Oboro said. "Oh gods, you are, aren't you? How many months do you have left?"

"What? N-No, it's nothing like that," Takumi replied quickly. "It's actually about Leo."

Realization dawned on both of his friends' faces. "Oh, I see," chuckled Hinata. "This is about how you have a major crush on him, isn't it?"

 _How did they know? How did_ everyone _know before I did?_ thought Takumi frantically. Heat was filling his cheeks. "I… h-how did you know that?" he stammered. "I mean, is it really _that_ obvious?"

"Takumi, we've known you since fifth grade," Oboro reminded him. "We can read you like an open book by now. Which is saying something, because you're anything _but_ open with your feelings."

"I guess that's true," said Takumi, letting out a nervous laugh. "Do you think Leo knows?"

"Gods, no," Oboro laughed. "That boy's as oblivious as you are."

Takumi took a deep breath. "So, ah… you two are okay with this? With… me?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Hinata.

Relief coursed through Takumi's body, gentle and light. He sighed, feeling as if he could start floating away at any second. "Oh, thank the gods."

"Dude, what are you saying?" gasped Hinata. "You really thought we wouldn't be okay with this?"

"Well, I-I don't know… I just thought-"

Just then, Oboro threw her arms around him. "Come _on,_ you idiot," she said, her voice muffled by Takumi's shoulder. "We love you, and _nothing_ is ever going to change that. Okay?"

Takumi felt tears welling up in his eyes, so he shut them tightly and wrapped his arms around Oboro. "Th-Thank you," he choked out, his voice almost inaudible. "I love you guys too."

"Aw, you two are such saps," laughed Hinata, but before long, he was barrelling into them too, something that Takumi assumed was his way of joining the hug. Oboro laughed, and Takumi couldn't stop himself from laughing as well.

The hug only lasted a few moments longer, however, because students were starting to fill the hallway. The three friends let go of each other; Takumi was making sure that his eyes weren't still glassy when Oboro reached over all of a sudden and nudged him. "Look up," she whispered. "Don't be obvious, but look up!"

She glanced purposefully at something down the hallway. Takumi followed her gaze up to find Leo walking by. His heart skipped a beat. Leo was with two others, a tall, mysterious-looking boy with dark skin and white hair, and an excitable-looking boy with mussed blonde hair. The excitable boy looked over and caught Takumi's eye. His jaw dropped, and immediately grabbed Leo by the arm. Surprised, Leo jumped, and turned to his friend, who pointed at Takumi. Leo glanced over, and his pallid cheeks reddened. He shot a freezing glare at his blonde friend.

Hinata hit Takumi on the arm, hard. "Did you see that? Dude, he's _totally_ into you too!"

"S-Shut up!" hissed Takumi, kicking his friend back. Leo was coming over, while his friends smirked behind him.

"Hey… Takumi," said Leo.

"Hey," replied Takumi. "Are you excited for chess club today? It's the first round of the tournament."

"Oh, right," Leo nodded. "Yes, I've been practicing."

"Good." Takumi smiled.

From behind him, Hinata let out a stifled gasp of laughter. Leo's gaze drifted from Takumi over to Oboro and Hinata. "These must be your friends, Takumi," he observed.

"For better or for worse, yeah," said Takumi, gritting his teeth in embarrassment. "This is Oboro and Hinata." He gestured to each of them when he said their name.

"Hey, man," Hinata greeted, a wide grin on his face. Leo smiled back, although Takumi could tell that he was uneasy. Leo had said before that he had trouble expressing himself in social situations, something that Takumi had never really noticed.

"And this is Niles and Odin," Leo pointed to the boys standing behind him. "Odin's the one bouncing up and down, and Niles is the one… well, smirking like an idiot."

Takumi couldn't help but chuckle. "I see."

"Well, I should probably start heading to my first class now," Leo said. "I'll see you at lunch."

"All right, me too," responded Takumi. "Good luck in the tournament today."

Leo nodded. "Thanks, you too." With that, he headed back over to Niles and Odin. As soon as the three of them walked away, both Hinata and Oboro grabbed Takumi, laughing.

"Takumi, he is _so_ into you!" Oboro squealed. "Let us set you up with him. Please!"

"No way!" Takumi snapped. "Don't you _dare._ "

"Oh, but dude, he wants you!" Hinata added. "It's so obvious."

Takumi rolled his eyes. "Stop it. But, ah…" He swallowed hard. "You really think he likes me?"

They both nodded animatedly. "Yeah! Did you see how embarrassed he got?" asked Oboro. "And his friends freaked out when they saw you, too. He's obviously told them all about you."

Takumi's face felt hot. He smiled. "Seriously?"

" _Seriously!_ "

Takumi couldn't stop grinning. He laughed softly, looking down at the ground. "Oh, look at you," cooed Oboro. "You _are_ a lovesick fool. So embarrassing."

"Shut up."

"No, _you_ shut up!"

Before the three friends could bicker any more, the first period bell rang. "Okay, I guess we're gonna have to continue this later," Hinata said. "But we're gonna be your wingmen, Takumi… er, wingman and wingwoman," he added as Oboro raised an eyebrow.

Takumi scoffed. "I feel like that's a really bad idea."

Oboro shook her head. "No, no, we're serious. No playing around this time, you can count on us!"

A wide grin spread across Takumi's face. "I know," he replied. "I… I love you guys. Really."

Hinata and Oboro both looked floored; Takumi very rarely showed his affection like that. "Thanks, man!" gushed Hinata.

Oboro was smirking. "It's great that you love us, but don't tell Leo. He doesn't seem like the type of guy who'd be up for a foursome."

" _Oboro!_ "

* * *

Takumi's mind was full of two things and two things only; Leo and chess. They were all he thought about until lunch, when he walked into room one-fifty-five faced with the prospect of seeing both.

"All right, everyone. Today is the first round of the chess tournament!" he announced to the group. "I hope everyone's excited. We're having the four preliminary matches today, and I've reserved this room for tomorrow at lunch, too. I know we don't usually have chess club on Fridays, but seeing as it's almost the March break, we can't afford to have this tournament stretch out for three weeks. So, tomorrow will be round two. And Monday at lunch will be the final round."

There were murmurs of interest throughout the group. "I'll be drawing names from a hat to decide who will be up against who in this first match," continued Takumi. "Remember, the winners of this round go on to the second round."

The first round wasn't very exciting, not that Takumi had expected it to be. His opponent was a tenth grader whose name he didn't even know. He was quickly able to defeat the younger boy. Leo seemed to have had a similar experience; he smiled at Takumi across the room as his defeated opponent left to put away the chessboard. When she had gone, Leo got up and sat down across from Takumi. "Looks like we're both advancing to the second round," he said.

Takumi smirked. "Did you ever have any doubt about that?" he asked.

Leo shook his head. "Not at all."

For the second round, on Friday, Takumi ended up playing against an aloof twelfth-grader named Jakob. Jakob didn't care much for anything or anyone save for a girl named Corrin, who Takumi and Hinoka had been good friends with in kindergarten; she had moved away before first grade, but now went to Takumi's school. She and Jakob were both regular members of the chess club. Leo apparently knew both of them, too; Corrin was his second opponent, and they were chatting up a storm. Takumi felt a dark pang of jealousy, which he tried to swallow down. Jakob, however, didn't seem to notice; he was too busy looking at the chessboard with disdain.

Needless to say, Takumi won that match, too.

Leo won his match as well. Takumi went over to him once Corrin left to go talk to Jakob. "Good job," he said.

"Thank you," Leo replied. "You too. So, we're going to be in the championship match together, then?"

Takumi nodded. "That's right. Whoever wins Monday's match wins the whole tournament. Are you ready?"

Leo grinned. "As ready as I'll ever be."

And in that moment, Takumi wasn't sure what he wanted. Until he met Leo, Takumi had been consumed by winning the chess tournament. But after that night in the park, he had been consumed by his feelings for Leo. Which did he want more? If he won the tournament, he might upset Leo and ruin his chances of being with him. But if he let Leo win in hopes of asking him out, he feared he might resent Leo like the last time Leo had beaten him.

"Which do I want more?" he muttered under his breath, distressed.

"Which _what_ do you want more?" asked Leo.

"Oh, nothing," lied Takumi breathlessly. "Just thinking about where to buy lunch."


	9. Just Leo

Takumi could barely sleep the night before the third and final tournament match. He was so filled with adrenaline that he couldn't lie still. It wasn't just the championship match that was filling his veins with electricity, though; it was also Leo. His feelings for the other boy were all-consuming. All he could think of was Leo, his blonde hair, his soft French lilt, his warm smile… Takumi ached for him, to touch him, to kiss him.

He _had_ to tell him how he felt, to make the warm acceptance he'd been immersed in when he confessed to his sisters and friends continue. But… what if Leo wasn't as accepting as the others had been? What if Takumi told Leo how he felt, only to be shot down? Their friendship would be ruined. He held his friendship with Leo in very high regard, but the thought of being _just friends_ forever made Takumi feel he was about to combust.

And then there was the whole situation about the chess match. Which did he want more, to win the match or to win Leo's heart? The stars seemed to be scorning his indecision from outside his window. He tossed and turned for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, and made a vow. He was going to tell Leo how he felt, even if it killed him. Why not take the leap of faith? Besides, there was still a chance that Leo liked him too. Takumi thought about that night in the park, when he'd let down his hair and Leo had seemed mesmerized. _Like I am whenever I look at him,_ thought Takumi with an exasperated sigh. He didn't see why someone like Leo would be mesmerized by someone like him, but it was the only shard of hope he had to hold onto.

Takumi got very little sleep that night, but he was still full of adrenaline by the time he got to school. Oboro and Hinata were sitting on the front steps; Oboro was showing Hinata something on her phone. They both looked up when Takumi approached, however.

"I'm going to do it," announced Takumi.

"Do what?" asked Hinata. Sarcastically, he added, "And nice to see you, too."

"I'm going to tell him. Leo, I mean," clarified Takumi. "I swear, I'm just going to do it."

Instantly, they both beamed from ear to ear. "You're really going to do it?" Hinata said. "Gods, Takumi, this is _so_ unlike you. What happened?"

Takumi shrugged. "Leo happened, I guess. Just… _Leo._ "

"That's cute," gushed Oboro. "So… you're really going to do it?"

"Yep."

" _Really_ really?"

"I'm not going to say it again," said Takumi, but he was grinning.

Hinata punched him playfully in the arm. "Awesome, dude. You want us to go with you? Wingman and wingwoman style?"

Takumi shook his head. "No, I _still_ think that's a terrible idea."

"Suit yourself," Hinata responded, shrugging. "But tell us _everything,_ okay?"

"Maybe," Takumi said, but he knew he would.

And so he approached Leo at the beginning of lunch. Upon seeing Takumi, Leo's face lit up. That gave Takumi the final surge of confidence he needed.

"Leo, can… can I talk to you about something?" he asked.

Leo nodded. "Is it about today's match? Because I've been practicing, and I hope you're ready."

"Actually, it isn't about chess," said Takumi. "It's a-about…" Gods, he had never done anything like this before. "…It's about you. And me."

Immediately, colour flared in Leo's cheeks. "Wh-What?" he stuttered. His soft French accent was making itself heard again.

Takumi took a deep breath. His mouth felt like sandpaper. "I… I really… I like you, Leo. I think you're sweet, and smart, and funny… I think you have the cutest smile, too. I'm so glad you decided to come to chess club, because I probably never would have talked to you otherwise. I'm just so, so glad you approached me that day." He paused. "What I'm trying to say is… I like you, and not just as a friend. I had to tell you that. I just _had_ to. If you don't feel the same way, please, just tell me and get it over with."

"Takumi…" breathed Leo. His brown eyes were wide, wide enough that Takumi could see his own, blushing face reflected in them. _Oh gods,_ he thought as his stomach clenched. _He doesn't feel the same way. He doesn't like me. What have I done!?_

"I really like you, too," Leo continued, to Takumi's surprise. "Takumi, you're amazing. I've never met anyone who's as passionate about chess and history as you are. You're just so… _genuine._ I haven't been able to stop thinking about you ever since I met you. I really like you, too. Not just as a friend."

Takumi opened his mouth, but no words came out. In fact, he wasn't sure if he could ever properly form words again. Leo liked him. Leo thought he was amazing and passionate and genuine. _Leo_ liked _him._

It was then that Takumi realized he didn't need words.

He stepped forward and kissed Leo. His hands cupped the blonde boy's neck, as he felt Leo tense up in momentary surprise before curling a hand around Takumi's waist. His other hand went up to Takumi's ponytail, his slender fingers combing through his hair. Takumi then realized that Leo was slightly taller; it was only a couple of inches, but he had to stretch a bit to reach Leo's lips comfortably. He didn't mind at all; Leo's lips were warm and inviting, his soft hands sending shivers up Takumi's skin. However, Leo pulled away all too soon. He was smiling. Takumi smiled back, and leaned in again. However, Leo shook his head. "Takumi, wait. I really, _really_ want to kiss you… but it's time for our chess match."

"Screw the chess match," Takumi breathed, pressing his lips to Leo's again. Leo relented under his touch, kissing him hard for a few more moments before pulling away again.

"Come on, I know you don't really mean that. You're the head of the club," Leo reminded him. "One match, and then we can continue this. I promise."

Takumi nodded, taking a deep breath. "All right," he said. "Oh, and… don't think I'm going to go easy on you."

Leo smirked. "I wouldn't want it any other way." He trailed a finger down Takumi's chest enticingly before turning around and heading toward the chess club classroom. Takumi watched Leo walk away before collapsing against the wall, his heart pounding. _Had that really just happened?_ He could still taste Leo against his lips, a light, minty taste that made his head spin. All he wanted was to find Leo and kiss him again, but… _the chess tournament._ Leo was right; he was the head of the club, and it was the championship match, after all.

He took a deep breath.

It was time.


	10. Forever

A/N: So, this is the last chapter! I'm very happy with how it turned out. Thank you so much to all the people who kept up with this fic, and for all the wonderful reviews. You're all awesome!

I hope you all enjoy the final chapter!

* * *

It was hard to get into the right mindset for chess when Takumi could still feel the ghost of Leo's hands on his skin, especially with Leo sitting across the table from him. But when Oboro started the timer, he was finally able to concentrate. Despite the fact that he had feelings for Leo (and had just _kissed_ him), this was his chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the chess club members. Oboro and even Hinata had shown up to watch the championship match. So had Leo's friends, Niles and Odin. It was like they were all anticipating something.

Time went by quickly when you were always looking two steps ahead, but the game didn't look like it was leaning in either his or Leo's favour. Still, Takumi started to devise a strategy. Slowly but surely, he was clearing a path for his rook to come in and take one of Leo's bishops. After that, he would be able to take out Leo's queen with little to no resistance. There was no doubt in Takumi's mind that Leo was planning something, too; he only hoped that he got to it before Leo could. He tried to bring himself back to when he'd played chess with Leo for fun, in his room and in the park, instead of the last time they'd faced off in front of the club. Takumi didn't want to be stressed out; after all, he had just kissed Leo. He didn't want the warm, giddy feelings he had for the other boy to fade if Leo beat him again.

Twenty minutes in and Takumi still wasn't sure where he stood. Leo had weeded out a lot of his more useless pieces, but Takumi had taken out a few of Leo's more major pieces. Everyone watching seemed interested that there didn't seem to be a clear winner yet. Just as Takumi had edged one of his bishops forward and Leo was trying to work out his next move, there were a few moments of eerie silence, and then…

The timer went off with a shrill rattling.

Takumi flinched at the sound; he had been so deeply engrossed in the chess match that any outside noise was almost otherworldly. He looked down at the chessboard, and then at Leo, who looked equally startled.

"Who won?" he asked.

"Neither of you," Oboro told him. "Or both of you, I guess. The time's up. It's a tie!"

 _A tie?_ Somehow, Takumi had never even considered that a tie was a possible outcome. He and Leo were both so skilled that he had assumed one of them would come out victorious. However, the more he thought about it, a tie made sense. They were almost evenly matched. He looked across at Leo, whose incredulous expression was fading slowly into a smile. "Good game," he said, outstretching a hand for the blonde boy to shake.

"You too," replied Leo, taking Takumi's hand. Even that small touch made Takumi shiver with longing. He bit his lip, trying to focus on the situation at hand. However, before he could regain his composure, Leo pulled his hand back and leaned across the table. His lips met Takumi's. Takumi heard gasps from all around them (and something that sounded suspiciously like Oboro and Hinata whooping in excitement), but his surroundings were quickly melting away. Still kissing Leo, Takumi leaned in to bridge the gap. He worked his tongue into Leo's mouth; the blonde kissed him harder, placing a warm hand on the back of Takumi's neck.

It was only after Takumi pulled away that he realized that Oboro, Hinata, Niles, Odin, and the other six chess club members had all just watched him and Leo making out. Heat rose in his cheeks. Oboro, Hinata, and Odin were all grinning widely, looking like they had won the lottery; Niles had a sultry smile on his face, but Takumi could tell that he was pleased for Leo.

"Well then," said Jakob finally. "I can't say I was expecting _that._ "

Takumi's face was burning. He stared down at the ground. "Th-That's all for today's meeting," he stammered. Everyone slowly cleared out except for Hinata, Oboro, Odin, and Niles. Leo's friends went straight to him, while Hinata and Oboro pounced on Takumi with the air of people who had been waiting a thousand years to do so. " _Dude!_ " shouted Hinata, punching Takumi excitedly on the arm. "That was _awesome!_ I told you he was into you!"

Takumi opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he just grinned.

It was almost impossible to sit still in math class after lunch, because Takumi was still on a high after kissing Leo. It seemed like Leo's thoughts were elsewhere, too; for the first time, Takumi heard the teacher tell Leo to pay attention. The blonde boy didn't look upset, though; he simply glanced back at Takumi with a small smile.

Takumi brought Leo home with him after school that day. He didn't make Leo pile into the car with him and his sisters, though; he wasn't cruel enough to subject him to _that_. Instead, they walked back to Takumi's house together. It was a long walk, but they held hands the whole way.

Hinoka and Sakura were already home when Takumi and Leo arrived. "Hey, Takumi," said Hinoka when the boys came through the door. She didn't look up from the book she was reading. "Why'd you text me saying you wanted to walk home?"

Takumi glanced over at Leo. "Well, the reason is-"

He didn't have to finish that sentence. Sakura, who was watering a little potted flower next to Hinoka, happened to glance over. When she saw Takumi and Leo with their hands intertwined, her eyes widened and she nudged Hinoka, a smile spreading across her face. Hinoka looked up, and her eyes immediately lit up. "Oh my gods!" she exclaimed, throwing her book aside and jumping to her feet. "Are you two-!?"

 _Are we?_ thought Takumi. They'd kissed, but hadn't talked about the specifics yet. Were they dating? He looked to Leo for clarification and found that the blonde boy was smiling. "We are," he told them, giving Takumi's hand a little squeeze.

Hinoka cheered, racing over and throwing her arms around both of them. Sakura joined the hug a few moments later, tentative but loving. "Oh, come on, you guys!" groaned Takumi, but he couldn't stop himself from grinning. Leo was, too.

"Sorry, Takumi," laughed Hinoka as she pulled away. "I'm just so happy for my baby brother."

Takumi blushed. He was torn between his love for Hinoka and feeling embarrassed at being called _baby brother_ in front of Leo. After a few moments, he said, "Leo, come on. Let's go upstairs."

When they got up to Takumi's room and Takumi closed the door behind them, he couldn't help but remember the last time he and Leo had been up there together. It had been the first time Takumi had empathized with the other boy, the first time he'd seen how similar they actually were. It was when they had become friends. And now, they were so much more.

Leo looked around; clearly he was thinking the same thing. "It feels like a lifetime since the last time I was here," he remarked.

"I know."

The blonde boy smiled. "I'm really glad this was your room," he said. "I couldn't have chosen a better place to hide out. It was when we really became friends, you know?"  
Takumi nodded. "And now look at us."

Leo smiled. He stepped closer to Takumi, resting a hand on Takumi's shoulder and leaning in to kiss him. Takumi melted into him, wrapping his arms around the other boy. Still entwined, they moved toward Takumi's bed and sat down against the wall.

Takumi reached up to touch Leo's hair. However, his fingers brushed against something silky on the back of Leo's shirt- a tag. He laughed, against Leo's mouth, and the blonde pulled away.

"What is it?" he asked.

Takumi grinned. "Your shirt is inside out."

Leo laughed, closing his eyes. His eyelashes were long and blonde, and when Takumi leaned in again, they tickled his cheeks.

The chess tournament was over. Takumi hadn't won, like he had wanted to when he first announced the tournament. Instead, he'd gotten something far, far better; Leo. Someone who understood him, someone who could relate to him… someone who liked him for who he was. He was so lucky that Leo had approached him that day in math class. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be Leo; he would still be Headband Boy, just a nameless figure in the background of Takumi's mind. The thought of that made Takumi's head spin. Leo was such an integral part of his life now that he couldn't even fathom the fact that he hadn't known him forever.

 _But maybe,_ thought Takumi as he looked into Leo's warm brown eyes, _our forever starts now._

The End


End file.
